Imminent end of landline

[#1]

Indeed 😁

Trying to diagnose and fix issues at distance is not easy at the best of times, let alone when she finds it increasingly difficult to understand and follow instructions ...

[#2]

@Yorkie6 

Thanks for the information.

In moving ISP I assume PN email isn't a problem for you or your mother.

For yourself it appears you (like me) have a choice of two full fibre networks. SOGEA also appears available. Zen Internet will always give the CF option for Full Fibre if available - it's cheaper though they might quote an OR price if asked.

Although not the cheapest I would give Zen some serious consideration. They have a good reputation and supply a well regarded router that has a built in ATA (for the phone) plus a DECT Base Station.

At the moment SOGEA is availble but if your Exchange changes to Fibre Friority you would not be allowed to place an order as FF is available. It will change at some point in the future.

The one problem with going with Zen Internet on CF is that, should you wish to change ISP's in the future to one which doesn't use CF then you'd need to get a second ONT installed.

As for your mother SOGEA is available so it just depends on the length of her contract with PN whether or not it's worth changing to Zen. The EE change is done FOC if organized through PN.

Brian

[#3]

@Yorkie6 

Do you know if any Altnets other than CF are serving your mother's address with FTTP? If OR are not doing so it is possible some other network is operating there.

This link will give you some info (with a bit of digging):

Browse Maps and Check Broadband Performance and Coverage Across the UK

That is from the Think Broadband website which contains a lot of info about services across the uk. The site URL is:

UK Broadband Data, Tools, News and Independent Analysis | thinkbroadband.com

If you find a likely candidate you can delve into their website and possibly find which ISPs are using them. 

Zen do use some other networks if available in the location you are interested in, e.g Freedom Fibre, Trooli, ITS, MS3. Of these Trooli And Freedom Fibre seem to operate in and around so,me parts of the M25.

[#4]

Thanks @jgb 

Looking at the second link, and applying the alt-net filter, Vfast internet is the only one shown for my mum. I've had a look at their website and they only seem to offer their own services. They may be fine but I think a more well recognised provider would be best for her.

Applying (separately) the FTTP filter, it's the usual possibilities of vodaphone, Sky, BT, Virgin media (most of them only showing their social tariffs, interestingly!).

To be honest, Mum is nearly 84. I think FTTC will be easiest for her. No drilling into the house. She has no need for full fibre services (she's not gaming or streaming, and when I visit, her current intranet is sufficient).

Having done the maths both for her and for me, I'm minded to go with Zen internet for both of us.

• FTTP for me - I think probably the Fibre 100 plan (80 Mpbs guaranteed download)? Current speeds are about 9 up / 36 down (I do occasionally watch iPlayer and do work from home, but no gaming)?
• FTTC for mum - I think probably the Unlimited Fibre 10 (8-9 up / 26 guaranteed download).

Plus 1000 minutes VOIP calls for me, unlimited for her.

Thinking about hardware:

Mum has a main handset with an answerphone base unit. Plus 3 other handsets. 

1. I know that the main handset will plug into the new router. Do you think it likely she will be able to continue to use her current answerphone? Just set the Zen answerphone facility to kick in after a greater number of rings? She is familiar with it and how to see whether anyone has left a message
2. One of the extension handsets only has one wire into it - I assume this will be a power lead. Another has two wires, though, so I assume one of those will be to a phone socket / let which has been run up from the master phone socket.  I have seen comments that such cabled extensions will no longer work without some further cabling intervention. Does anyone know if that is correct?
3. Assuming that is right, and we're not up for redoing cabling, what is the most cost-effective solution to retaining a handset in her bedroom? Can extension handsets that don't need a cable be easily acquired?
4. I'm loathe to pay a lot of money for wi-fi extenders from a provider. I am aware of extenders which work with current set up (like TP-Link). Are these likely to be compatible with the new set up, do you think, if required in a home?

Many thanks again. 

[#5]

@Yorkie6 

As I said , I use my old Panasonic dect phones (base unit plus 4 satellites). The main unit with answerphone plugs into the Zen supplied Fritzbox 7530AX router (I assume they still offer the same router for all but the fastest services). All the satellites work as before with only power connections to their base units (i.e. none were plugged into phone sockets before and none are now).  I do not use the answerphone facility but I do not see why it should not continue to work. - perhaps someone else can clarify this

You say that your mum has a main handset with answerphone plus three other handsets.  Assuming they all work, any that only have a power cord must be part of the dect set with the main unit. If one of these is located in the bedroom with the main set plugged into the router. You may be able to buy additional compatible satellite phones for the dect set. You would need to do a bit of research to see if they are still available and can be set up to work with the existing base unit. Another option would be to buy a new dect set with the number of phones you need. You only need a dect landline set similar to what you have and not a VOIP set which are much more expensive and would not use the Fon socket anyway. I have seen this which may be suitable: Panasonic KX-TGB613EB DECT Cordless Landline Telephone with Nuisance Call Blocker and Shock Resistan...

Other makes / suppliers are available!

I am afraid I do not know how to cable existing extensions to work with a VOIP service.

As for wifi extenders, I use a TP-link AC1900 extender (which will now be superseded by a later model) for one awkward area in the house and this seems to work for me, although the Fritzbox coverage is pretty good on its own. The Zen mesh system is relatively expensive unless you really need it.

[#6]

You are a wonder, @jgb . Thank you for your time and thoughtful help. It is much appreciated.

[#7]

@Yorkie6 

The Zen supplied routers have a built in ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter) for phones and a built in DECT Base Station for dect phones.

The thing to remember is VOIP does not work during power cuts. Given your mothers age she should make it clear to Zen when she signs up that she needs the phone due to her age - she might be able to get a power backup unit from them.

Brian

[#8]

@Yorkie6 

No problem! Just noticed that the dect set I pointed to does not seem to have an answerphone facility, but there are, as I said, plenty of others out there that do

[#9]

@jgb,

I use a Fritzbox router with Plusnet full fibre and VoIP phone line from A&A

A few days after the fibre installation I cut the redundant copper cable where it entered the house and connected the Fritzbox fon socket to the BT master socket using an RJ11 to BT phone plug cable. I plugged our DECT answerphone base into one of the house extension sockets and it works as it did with the old copper line.

Originally I used a double socket BT phone plug adapter to connect the Fritzbox fon and the DECT base to the BT master socket. It worked, but it looked untidy, so I moved the base to my upstairs study bedroom.

The Fritzbox Fon output could be connected to any of the BT extension sockets and they should all work, including the old master socket.

[#10]

@MisterW 

Do you think the problems are because they are supplying the lesser router?  I've been reading specs and according to their blurb they supply the EE Smart Hub Plus for those with only FTTC and the EE Smart Hub Pro for those with full fibre.  It looks like the pro is the one suitable for VOIP.

I did have a look at the zen site and all the deals seem to be full fibre.  I'm not even sure if full fibre is at the cabinet here yet.

[#11]

@Spik3y I have no detailed knowledge of either of the EE routers but AIUI both support a phone port.

In my opinion the problems are likely down to support staff knowledge. Having used voip for many years now both in the office and at home, understanding voip faults requires an additional skillset. In the past, ISPs who used Openreach/BTw to supply the phone service had no involvement in fault diagnosis and rectification, it was all handled by Openreach. With a voip service , ISP support staff are in new territory...   

[#12]

@Spik3y 

Full Fibre goes nowhere near your local cabinet. It runs all the way from a Main Exchange which may not be the local exchange your currently connected to. You can check here. Full Fibre shows up as WBC FTTP.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Zen Ineternet also use the CityFibre network so if they are offering Full Fibre then one of the two networks is available at your location.

Brian

[#13]

According to that link FTTC is unavailable. No mention of FTTP anywhere So looks like no fibre at exchange yet.  We are in a low population area in scotland.

[#14]

---

@Spik3y wrote:

I did have a look at the zen site and all the deals seem to be full fibre. 

---

True, but if you click on the "Our broadband technologies" green banner you see this:

I've been on Zen's SOGEA with Digital Voice since June 2023.

[#15]

@Spik3y 

The Checker I linked to will only give results for OpenReach.

If any other full fibre network is active in your area it'll be listed here

https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/

Any network in build but not live does not get listed.

Brian